Don't think, just do.

Prologue

"Is everybody here?"

We all confirmed... well, all 4 of us. Something's off, this isn't the standard briefing procedure... actually, scratch that, nothing as of today is standard carrier procedure, every men in the squadron are already in the air carrying out orders 4 hours ago, except us. Me, ice, slider and merlin. I suspect a 2 ship escort mission, but with how things are in this situation, CAP is more likely. Usual generic sorties.

The CAG slowly turned to faced the wall before exhaling and turning back around to us. He doesn't seem to be in a particularly stable mood at the moment.

"If theres one thing i'll be honest about, im not happy with the constant schedule adjustments as of today. Originally, the entirety of VF-103 was suppose to carry out an escort mission to strike an air base deep into highly contested iraqi territory, which is needed to be taken out of the picture so our boots on the ground can advance."

Iceman: "Well, what happened?"

"This happened"

Maverick: "... Is that a dragon?" I looked over to my right to see slider squeezing himself trying restraining every single cell in his body so he wouldn't laugh his ass off.

Merlin: "I don't mean any disrespect, but is this a joke, sir?"

CAG Popped a vein, looks like poor little merlin struck a nerve. "Do i look like someone who walks in a ready room so i could pull shit out of my ass for shits and giggles, lieutenant?"

Merlin: "No si-"

"Got anything else to say? Good. Moving on, this... creature came into contact with the 5 ship strike group that were expected to suppress the air base's defenses had reportedly 'vanished'."

Iceman: "Vanished? 

"Quiet-"

Maverick: "This is next generation BS."

"ENOUGH! One more word and you're out."

Classic. CO. Energy.

"Moving on, while our forces had fate slam a middle finger on them, the target air base wasn't spared, recently taken aerial photographs, along with investigation, confirm that all iraqi personnel in said airbase are MIA, except for one single aircraft maintainer. Upon interrogation, he was screaming about some "hellspawn from the underworld had arrived to rid all life on earth ".. its possible he was on drug overdose, but that has yet to be confirmed from our medical staff."

Iceman: "Where is he now, sir?"

"Mostly kept in the dark, all that's known is that the captured maintainer is being tended to by highly experienced psychologists and therapists from the EU and the US, all of whom have excelled in their field for years."

Slider: "Sir, that claim of the vanished strike package is skeptical. They could have just been downed by air defences or opposing fighter squadrons. Its likely they crash landed in the middle of nowhere kuwait after they left the operation area."

"That has been taken into consideration as well, however, aerial recon and ground based investigation conducted a 10-15 mile radius search and rescue using the airbase as the centerpoint to locate our downed airmen, however, no wreckage of the shot down intruders have been found, nor are the traces of any pilots. Further effort to finding the pilots will be executed, extending the search further. Until then, we can only hope and pray. Rumors are, the CIA is getting involved."

"of course they would get involved..."

...

Maverick: "Why are you telling us all of this? Shouldn't this kind of incident be kept secret? Because lets be all perfectly honest, if this spreads, it'll become a rumor, then it would spread all the way back to the states, rumors are literally propaganda, tell it often enough, a billion people would start believing magic spells exist."

Iceman: "Not just the states, it will be the talk of the year in NATO, then it'll reach the far east, maybe would find its way to the north too."

"The reason im telling you this.. is because... because you four happened to be requested specifically by the president himself, to be the flight crew that will provide overwatch for the airbase, report anything you find back to the CBG, and we will analyze it. One more thing, we don't expect the iraqis to send a flight to your designated area, however as always, be prepared for anything."

Merlin: "Even the dragon?"

"Correct."

Merlin: "We got attention from the big man in washington? im touched."

Slider: "Sir the iraqis wouldn't seriously consider sending a flight to a destroyed airbase."

"As i said, be prepared for anything."

l looked over to my shoulder, the three of them aren't taking this seriously. Cant say i blame them.

"That is all, dismissed."

i stood up

Maverick: "Well... pack it up boys, we got a dragon to slay."

"Dont get yourselves burned!"